Is It True That Idaho Has Its Own Area 51… Under a Lake?

The American military is large, vast, and oftentimes mysterious. Take Area 51 for example, while many believe they're holding an alien in a secret underground base; they're also known for their testing of military technology, mostly for the Air Force. This is why we were surprised to learn that Bayview, Idaho is home to the (take a huge breath): Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Acoustic Research Detachment. A division that, like Area 51, focuses on stealth technology but for our Navy.

What in the world do they do?

According to their site at NavSea.Navy.mil, the NSWCCD Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) can be found at Lake Pend Oreille in Bayview, Idaho, which they say is “Idaho’s largest, deepest (1,150), and quietest body of water providing an ideal environment for acoustic testing without the attendant problems and costs of open ocean operations.”

What exactly are they testing, you ask? That’s where Alan Griffitts, Director of Acoustic Research Detachment comes in. In a video posted by the U.S. Navy, he explains the purpose of the ARD.

“The ARD performs acoustic stealth research and development primarily on submarine’s stealth technology before that technology goes into the submarine fleet,” Alan Griffitts, director of Acoustic Research Detachment.

“This facility has become the Navy’s premier acoustic research laboratory.”

Unlike bases like Area 51, the NSWCCD Acoustic Research Detachment is right in the heart of Farragut State Park in Bayview, Idaho.